Clothes washing machines and methods of operating the same

ABSTRACT

A clothes washing machine and method of operation are provided in which a high speed spin and drain cycle is locked in immediately after the wash cycle in all washing programs followed by a deep agitated rinse and a final high speed spin and drain for regular clothes and a final slow speed spin and drain for delicate fabrics and wash and wear clothes.

United States Patent Peyton W. Douglas Lakewood, N.Y.

Jan. 19, I970 Aug. 10, 1971 Blackstone Corporation Inventor Appl No.Filed Patented Assignee CLOTHES WASHING MACHINES AND METHODS OFOPERATING THE SAME 4 Claims, 1 Drawing Fig.

US. Cl. 8/159, 68/12, 68/23.7 lnt. ..D06t 33/02, D061 37/36 Fieldoi'Search ..68/12, 23.6,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,841,003 7/1958 Conlee68/12 R 3,103,803 9/1963 Rhodes 158/12 R X 3,110,852 11/1963 Brucken eta1 68/12 R X Primary Examiner-William 1. Price .4!torneyBuel1, Blenkoand Ziesenhcim ABSTRACT: A clothes washing machine and method ofoperation are provided in which a high speed spin and drain cycle islocked in immediately after the wash cycle in all washing programsfollowed by a deep agitated rinse and a final high speed spin and drainfor regular clothes and a final slow speed spin and drain for delicatefabrics and wash and wear clothes Patented Aug. 10, 1971 3,597,777

INVENTOR Peyton W. Douglas CLOTHES WASHING MACHINES AND METHODS OFOPERATING THE SAME This invention relates to clothes washing machinesand methods of operating the same and particularly to a clothes washingmachine with a locked in high speed spin cycle following every washcycle,

It is general practice in the art of washing machines to have a washcycle followed by a spin cycle. In the case of ordinary clothes the spincycle is a high speed cycle whereas in the case of delicate andpermanent press cycles the spin cycle is a low speed spin cycle. This isgenerally accomplished by a selector switch which sets the cycles forregular or delicate fabrics at the option of the operator. Unfortunatelythe low speed spin cycle drain period is usually not satisfactory to ridthe container of water and suds because the pump is also running atslower than normal speed and is not capable of eliminating the suds andwater. As a result, after the slow spin and drain cycle of the usualdelicate fabric program, there are still quantities of suds and waterleft in the clothes and container which carry over into the next cyclewhich is an agitated deep rinse cycle. This contaminates the deep rinsewater with suds and dirty wash water.

I have found that this problem can be eliminated by locking in a highspeed cycle immediately after the wash cycle in all washing programsfollowed by a deep agitated rinse and a final high speed spin and drainfor a regular clothes program and a final low speed spin and drain fordelicate clothes. This solves the problem of carry over of water andsuds from the wash cycle and yet protects delicate and permanent pressclothes from destruction and from wrinkles setting in the clothes.

Preferably I provide in a clothes washing machine having an outer tub,an inner rotatable tub, a reciprocable agitator and drive meansselectively reciprocating said agitator, and rotating said inner tub ata slow or a high speed, the improvement comprising a control systemoperating said drive means so that following every operation of thedrive means to reciprocate the agitator in a wash cycle, the inner tubis next rotated at high speed, followed by at least one deep rinse cycleand the inner tub is then rotated at slow speed for delicate fabrics andat high speed for regular fabrics.

1n the foregoing general statement of my invention l have set outcertain objects, purposes and advantages of my invention. Other objects,purposes and advantages of this invention will be apparent from aconsideration of the following description and the accompanying drawingin which I have illustrated schematically a control circuit according tomy invention.

Referring to the drawings 1 have illustrated a two speed reversiblemotor and an input source of current ll. Between the current source of11 and the motor 10, I provide a double program timer switch 12 whichcontrols circuits l3 0 delicate fabric finishing and the other 20 forrotating said inner tub at high speed for regular fabrics, both forsufficient time to extract water from the clothes.

in the foregoing specification, l have set out certain preferredembodiments and practices of my invention, however it will be obviousthat the invention may be otherwise embodied within the scope ofthefollowing claims.

I claim:

1. In a clothes washing machine having an outer stationary tub and aninner rotatable tub, a reciprocable agitator in said inner tub, anddrive means selectively reciprocating said agitator and rotating saidinner tub at one of a slow spin and drain cycle and a fast spin anddrain cycle, the improvement co mprising'a control system operating saiddrive means to provide a wash cycle in which the agitator reciprocatesin said inner tub, a first spin and drain cycle at high speed after eachwash cycle in which the inner tub is rotated at high speed, a deepagitated rinse in which the agitator reciprocates following each firstspin and drain cycle and a final selected second spin and drain cycle atone of a slow speed rotation of the inner tub for delicate fabrics and ahigh speed rotation of said inner tub for regular fabrics.

2. In a clothes washing machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the drivemeans includes a motor rotatable in one direction to reciprocate theagitator and in the opposite direction at two speeds for rotating theinner tub at high speed and at low speed.

3. In a clothes washing machine as claimed in claim I wherein the first.spin and drain cycle is locked in and cannot be bypassed.

4. A method of operating a clothes washing machine having an outerstationary tub, an inner rotatable tub and a reciprocable agitator inthe inner tub, comprising the steps of:

a. loading clothes to be washed in said inner tub;

b. reciprocating the agitator in a wash cycle;

c. rotating said inner tub at high speed while draining said outer tubimmediately following the wash cycle;

d. reciprocating the agitator in a deep rinse cycle immediatelyfollowing said high speed rotation, and

e. rotating said inner tub selectively at one of a high speed rotationfor regular fabrics and a slow speed rotation for delicate fabrics.

2. In a clothes washing machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the drivemeans includes a motor rotatable in one direction to reciprocate theagitator and in the opposite direction at two speeds for rotating theinner tub at high speed and at low speed.
 3. In a clothes washingmachine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first spin and drain cycle islocked in and cannot be bypassed.
 4. A method of operating a clotheswashing machine having an outer stationary tub, an inner rotatable tuband a reciprocable agitator in the inner tub, comprising the steps of:a. loading clothes to be washed in said inner tub; b. reciprocating theagitator in a wash cycle; c. rotating said inner tub at high speed whiledraining said outer tub immediately following the wash cycle; d.reciprocating the agitator in a deep rinse cycle immediately followingsaid high speed rotation, and e. rotating said inner tub selectively atone of a high speed rotation for regular fabrics and a slow speedrotation for delicate fabrics.